3 Exciting Variations Of The Classic Gin and Tonic

International Gin and Tonic Day—yes, that’s a thing—goes down on April 9th.

In the simplest sense, all it takes to celebrate this momentous occasion is some gin, some tonic, a few wedges of lemon or lime, and some ice. If there was ever a day to get creative with your gin and tonics, however, it’s April 9.

Here are a few exciting variations on the classic gin and tonic that we recommend you try on International Gin and Tonic Day this year.

This inventive twist on the classic G&T adds cranberry and thyme—two ingredients that probably don’t strike you as bedfellows—for an incredibly complex but wonderfully refreshing taste. Here’s how you whip one up.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup fresh cranberries.

1/4 cup white granulated sugar.

1/2 cup water.

Splash of orange juice.

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Fresh thyme leaves.

1 oz. gin

4 oz. tonic.

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, mix together the cranberries, sugar, water, orange juice and vanilla extract.

Cook for 10 – 15 minutes, smashing cranberries with the back of Add the fresh thyme and smash with the back of your spoon.

Pour the mixture through a strainer, discarding the solids, and saving remaining syrup.

While your typical G&T doesn’t look a whole lot different from a glass of water, this variation on the cocktail is a vibrant red, thanks to the inclusion of blood orange juice. Here’s how you make this amazing G&T.

What could be more in keeping with the lush, colorful season of spring than a gin and tonic with melon in it? That’s exactly what you get with this super sweet spin on the Gin and Tonic. Here’s how to make one for yourself.

Tom Taylor is a globetrotting writer currently based in Ottawa, Canada. He covers mixed martial arts for Fightland and Vice Sports, and freelances for a number of other publications. Follow him on Twitter @TomTayMMA.